The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-08-18
from sunocatiOn. while others were
deathlY white.


Il WRECKED By FIEEDs.
The president OF the T., s. w. Co
said to reporter for tbs Times that be
could in no way account Tor the acct
: dent unless on the presumption that the
bridge was set on fire deliberately by
fends for the purpose OF robbing the
passengers. When the dead body OF
Edwin F. Adams was searched by one
!, of his friends neither his pocket-bOok
nor gold watch could be found. al
H though he was known to have started
on the trip with large sum of money.
The only cash found on his person was
$50, which he had hid in the watch
pocket of his trousers. S. III. Smithers
of Forks Haven, West Virginia, in
formed a reporter that he saw a man
who was pinned down by one of the
cars offer several persons near by 800
and his gold watch and chain if they
would release him.
OFFICIALS CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
| CHICAGO. Aug. IA special to a
local paper from Chatsworth says there
were very little stimulants, or In fact
medical appliances or assistance of any
kind, on the ground. A man from Pr
per CITY brought a demijon of whisky.
but the railroad people seem to have
done practically nothing. Men from
ChatsWorth who worked all night at the
wreck were refused passage on the train
going back to the village. 1t seemed to
| take the railroad company four hours
I to get an engine ready to drag a car to
or from the village, and the only per-
Gals. People here are very bitter
against the railroad company and say
that the officials, whether from demon
alization, excitement or from absolute
pigheadedneSs, acted most inhumanly
| in many cases and treated the wounded
most shamefuly all round. In fact they
did not treat the wounded at all, but
left them to the care of volunteers.
There was nothing to hinder the Off
Gals running trains back and forth
eastward to Gilman and westward to
Chatsworth, all through the night, car
rying away wounded and bringing back
supplies, but nothing of the kind was
done. The whole thing was just a
piece of stupidity that allowed prairie
fires to rage all along the line and took
no precautions to see that bridges were
not burned down. 1t is probable that
an investigation will result in holding
some of the officials criminally respon-
sible for the disaster. If ordinary
precautions had been observed the ac-
cident would not have occurred.
HORRIBLE PICTURE.
FOREST, ILL.,. Aug. 12.-News of the
disaster arrived at Chatsworth about
forty minutes after its occurrence and
the peaceable residents of the little
town were suddenly awakened by an
alarm which rang simultaneously from
all the alarm boxes in the town. In a
few moments everybody was on his or
her feet, and people were running
through the streets in all directions, in
Quiring where the fire was. When the
actual facts were learned another alarm
followed, which was vigorously re-ech-
n IDoIy Of nj TI,o oh oIoa, IN,
town, and people made rush for the
road to Piper City. DR.. Vaughn of
Chatsworth said: When 1 arrived 1
found there the greatest confusion.
Even he'll itself could not have
presented more horrible pic
ture. Men and women were fighting
with death and ready to clutch at a
straw to get saved. One man held his
dead wife and dead little child in his
and propped in the wreck. I relieved
the unfortunate of his burden and
helped to drag him out and bring him
to sleeper. One the greatest misfor
tunes was the fact that the wreck took
place almost in desert. 1t was impos-
sible to accord the wounded sufficient
assistance. There were no ambulances
and nothing to carry them on. They
were dagged and pushed and this &C
counts for the great number of people
who succumbed to their pains.
PRESIDENT LEONARD'S STATEMENT.
CHATswoRTH, ILL.,, Aug. 12.-As to
the liability of the company or future
of the road, the president, Mr.. Leon
ard, could not say. The first thing the
officials will do will be to devote their
attention to the care of the unfortunate
victims. 1t was a blow which would,
of course, be most serious one to the
road, but that was nothing compared
with the death and injury to human
beings. Mr.. Leonard said that he
could in all conscience say that he be-
lieved the road had provided every
reasonable and customary safeguard.
With the consent of the coroner Mr..
Leonard has arranged that all I'M
claimed
BODIES BE CARED FOR,
washed and placed in collins and con-
viewed TO Peoria, where, with all their
effects, they will await Identification.
The bodies will be kept there as long
as possible, and then if not identified
will be inferred.
President Leonard and Superlntend-
emit Armstrong will 90 to Piper City
this morning and care for the wounded
there. The railroad and warehouse
commissioners are expected here about
10 O'Clock to investigate the accident,
but as several desired witnesses have
not vet arrived it is not expected the
coroner will complete his hearing until
| late this afternoon. Estimates of the
dead this morning are about the same
as those sent out last night. The cor
oner's list, revised up to the time of the
| inquest, foots up seventy-six. Not
withstanding the contrary opinions ex-
pressed by the railroad officials, sur
| Vey of the wreck early to-day confirms
| the belief that several bodies are
STILL UNDER THE DEBRIS
| of the smashed engines and cars. The
report of yesterday that twenty dead
| were at Piper City is denied to-day by
| the president of the road. Three or
| four of the wounded carried to Piper
| City yesterday died there, however, SO
| that with the seventy-SiX on the cor
oner's list here and those supposed to
be vet under the wreck, an estimate OF
eighty-four deaths appears to be very
close to the actual number.
| HORRORS OF THE WRECK DEEPENING.
Early this morning instead of less
ening added to the pitiable spectacle OF
the dead and the miseries of the dying.
A stencil sickingly foul was issuing
from all the numerous places where the
cOrpSes of the victims yet remained.
No picture of the horrible occurrences
Immediately succeeding the accident
. could equal in revolving details the
scene. At the T., P. s. w. depot here
; to-day in the west end of the little
: structure is a little coal and lumber
room, where promiscuously stretched
on the floor in coal and rubbish were
seven unidentified bodies. Blood
stained, bedraggled sheets and blank.
: cts were thrown loosely over each, but
afforded little protection from the
swarms of flies which were continu
ously lowering over them. The awful
odor emanating from the bodies KEEP
: the room clear of all but the hardest
of the still lingering, anxious or curious
, crowd. Two of the victims wer,
! women and the sight of their faces wa
> one never to be forgotten.
RI sICKENIG SIGHTS.
: CHATswoRTH, Aug 12.-Distortet
features, wide, staring eyes and put
! rifying wounds were gazed at but TO
4 an instant, even by those looking 70
! missing mothers and daughters In :